It is so infuriating to see a team that played in the Super Bowl somehow have the easiest schedule in the NFL. And not just in terms of strength of schedule, but also in terms of quantity of quality opponents (4, no team has fewer, and only the Falcons have as many, all 30 other teams have 5+). The Ravens have the 4th hardest schedule in terms of strength of schedule (tied with St. Louis, but Baltimore has more games against quality opponents... 7 is tied for second most games against quality opponents, only Philly and Jax have more, with 8 each).

2012 Strength of Schedule based on opponents' 2011 record:It is so infuriating to see a team that played in the Super Bowl somehow have the easiest schedule in the NFL. And not just in terms of strength of schedule, but also in terms of quantity of quality opponents (4, no team has fewer, and only the Falcons have as many, all 30 other teams have 5+). The Ravens have the 4th hardest schedule in terms of strength of schedule (tied with St. Louis, but Baltimore has more games against quality opponents... 7 is tied for second most games against quality opponents, only Philly and Jax have more, with 8 each).

Strength of schedule means nothing. Who knows how tough the schedules really are at this point in the "season"?

Yea, SOS means nothing in todays NFL. I would say back in the day it meant a little more seeing how the parity in the NFL back in the day is nothing like it is now. You have some teams that could have easily went 4-12 and some teams that could have easily went 12-4. SOS is based off last season anyway so that's al that needs to be said.

SOS is weak. Your SOS goes up with a loss so teams that win should be lower and the NFL changes so much a playoff team can drop to 3rd or 4th in their division like that. Also records can be inflated one year and then exposed the next like Atlanta.

AFC North Teams are playing the same opponents mostly, the difference is the games that are decided by where they finished last season.Since we won our division, we play the other AFC division winners, the Pats and the Texans, but the Steelers, who came in second, get the Jets and the Titans, that didn't make the playoffs. We are the only one in the division that face the 2011 Super Bowl teams, the Pats and Giants.

Looks like the Pats and the Steelers make out pretty easy just on scheduling alone. Our schedule at the outset looks tough, and I have to admit has me worried a little for next season.

But we will have to see how many other factors play out in scheduling like:travel distance to away games(east to west games), length between games(Thursday to Sunday or Monday), prime time verses regular time games, how many difficult opponents in back to back games, how many back to back road games verses home games, weather, etc. Hope our bye week comes at a point in the season where it will be the most advantageous for the team. Here's hoping the deck doesn't get stacked against us, lol.